Deeper
by Forgotten Rozez
Summary: What fire is so powerful as to melt even the coldest of warriors? Vayne finally is able to Purge the very core of darkness. Akali has been nothing but obedient all her life; but someone shows her it's okay to break the rules. Diana seeks acceptance, and finally someone understands. Annie has grown up with a gnawing guilt inside of her, hoping one day to be relieved of the pain.
1. The Night Hunter

**Hey everyone(: I haven't written much lately (school is overwhelming as hell) but I got an idea and thought it would be nice to actually write it down instead of thinking about it. There is no set plot so far, so things can easily change. I'm focusing on the champs I need, but will try to include them all at least once. Requests are welcome(: I'm going to try my best to make this story enjoyable for those who don't play the game as well, so don't hate me for explaining things more than necessary. I won't blab on anymore. All champions are from League of Legends and are owned by Riot. **

**~Rozez**

The day I got the letter telling me I had been invited to join The League, I wasn't exactly sure how to feel. I had been waiting, preparing, for that moment all my life. I didn't cry, or smile, or even bat a lash. I simply opened the letter, read it, closed it, and folded it back up. This was to be my greatest mission: to purge the creatures of the night at their very core. They would no longer be protected; it would all be fair game now.

I inhaled a breath of satisfaction, closed my eyes and murmured, "It's about time people saw things my way."

The raven that delivered the message cocked its head at me. "Tell them I accept," I said, and opened the window for it to leave. It cooed and flew away into the night sky. I gazed out at the cloudless night and drummed my fingers on the pane. Evil would be safe that night, for I had other business to attend to.

The small cottage I occupied was temporary; I never stayed in one place for more than two nights. There was only one room, and hardly any furniture. I unrolled my blanket and sat by the fireplace, staring into the flames. It reminded me of the night I decapitated my first witch's head and burned it until only ashes remained. One never forgets their first. I kept the ashes in a small glass bottle, so I'll always have a piece of her; the one that took everything away from me. I took out my journal, a small black leather book, and started to write. I emptied out what little feelings I had onto the paper. I wrote until my hand started to ache. My journal was filled with poetry, entries, logs; for writing kept me sane at the most insane moments. I continued to sit there, hardly moving, only looking at the dancing flames. I drank a little of my water, and ate some bread a man had given me for killing a vampire that was stealing his livestock.

What little belongings I owned were neatly arranged in a small bag. The blanket was rolled up, my journal wedged inside, and the rest of my things settled around. I slid into my silver boots and made sure all of the spikes were pointing forward. Fastening my crimson cape, and latching on my crossbow, I made good time evacuating the cottage. There wasn't a trace that someone had been there moments before. I grabbed the torch that lay beside the fireplace, and dipped it into the flames. Once outside, I threw it onto the straw roof and started on my way, feeling the bristling heat behind me. Such a waste; it would've been the perfect night for Hunting, too.

"State your business."

I was making great time on my journey by the time I reached the city walls. It took me four days, but I only had until nightfall before I must be finished. I still had a lot to do, once inside.

I looked at the two men who were interrupting me and regarded them coolly. _These guards are no Elites,_ I thought to myself, _anyone can see that._

They were both fairly large, but not fit enough to use it as an advantage. They would be slow. Their helmets were rusty and chipped, shields battered and dent, their spears had smooth tips. _Look at them, _I shook my head dismissively, _moving and talking freely. I'm disappointed in what the standards_ _have dropped to. _I had to reassure myself that I was at the correct city. Staring up at the walls, I knew I was and my heart sank. The city was once my home; where I was born and raised. The only time in my life where I was naive and happy was spent here, in these very walls. The walls still towered over me. The white had faded to a yellowish, and moss crawled up the sides in a few places. Not much had changed. On the outside, anyway.

"Ma'am-" the same guard who spoke before interrupted my thoughts again. I pushed away what little emotions had sprouted, and turned my attention to the two morons in front of me.

"My business is my own," I replied curtly.

They both looked shocked to actually hear me speak. The speaker was quiet for a moment, looking at a loss for words. A smirk danced on my lips. It seemed to make him feel more uncomfortable.

"Under such circumstances, we are ordered to prohibit any unauthorized individual from entering the city." His voice was shaky and uncertain. It was rehearsed, and clearly an empty threat. Even if it was a threat, he'd only be threatening himself.

I sauntered a few steps towards the pair, and deliberately held up a silver bolt to the sunlight.

"Just polished," I explained, when their eyes grew wide. "Now tell me, gentlemen…" I removed my glasses and wiped off the dust from traveling with a cloth, pulled from my bag. "What might those circumstances be?"

The man who hadn't said a word stared at me. He made it bluntly obvious but made no effort in looking away. I directed my attention back to the one who was once again trying to figure out what to say.

"The League registrations are today." The voice had come from the previously silent guard. I froze for a second. I knew his voice.

Before they could notice my sudden apprehensiveness, I shielded my eyes with my hands and looked up to the sun. I didn't have much time left. The little chit-chat was putting a dent in my schedule.

"Oh, is that so?" I rested a hand on my hip and rolled my eyes. "I have places to be, and I'd rather not enter the city with blood on my hands."

That seemed to startle them a bit. They pointed their spears at me, and I pursed my lips in amusement.

"We cannot let you pass without authorization," the one with the familiar voice stuttered. They were afraid.

"I don't remember asking for permission," I challenged, getting impatient.

I looked this useless guard in the eye and shot him a venomous look. It wasn't often I lost my temper with mortals but these two were pissing me off. I bit my lip in frustration. He suddenly dropped his spear and threw off his helmet.

Benjamin.

"Shauna?"

I opened my mouth to speak but abruptly closed it again. I put my glasses back on, for I forgot I was still holding them. I involuntarily went back to biting my lip and shook my head firmly. "She's dead," I replied.

Benjamin looked confused for a moment and his face fell. My heart beat faster. I needed to go.

"Don't you remember me?" he whispered softly.

I crossed my arms and sneered. "No. You have the wrong person."

"They told me you were dead…" Benjamin continued and took a step towards me. I took a step back. He was hurt. I just needed to deal the killing blow. "Don't you remember what we had together? I love you, Shauna."

"I never loved you."

Benjamin kneeled on the ground and his head hung low. The other guard was still awkwardly standing by the entrance. He saw me glaring at him and quickly backed away. I grasped the brass handles and pushed the door open.

"Why?" Benjamin was still on the ground, defeated. I looked back at him, and felt nothing.

"I ask myself the same thing every day."

**No, it's not much at the moment… I have some more written out, I'll post it soon. The story will develop, I promise. I have big plans for this and I'm writing the whole thing through, no matter what. Reviews and advice is much appreciated! Thanks(:**


	2. Curiosity Killed the Cat

**I'm going to be focusing a lot on character development in the beginning of the story, to have my lovely readers get a feel for each person. No, not everything is going to be black and white, but little things will be explained throughout the story, I promise(: **

**This chapter will be longer than the first, just so I can finish off this scene. I want to get to the good stuff, but not rush it completely. **

**All champions are owned by Riot. Reviews and advice are much appreciated! **

**~Rozez**

As soon as I heard my heels click on the stone road, I felt numb. It had been so long since I visited a city during broad daylight. I wasn't used to being around so many people all at once; it was overwhelming. Surrounded by thousands of citizens, all engulfed in their own personal lives, scurrying around like insects-the thought of it was most distasteful. I could already feel the frustration and annoyance rising up inside me. Besides, having so many live, moving obstacles in your way proved navigation to be a difficult task.

I stood rooted in place as I took in the scene before me. Instantly, I felt a pain in my chest. Nothing had changed. The same fountain with its marble roses engraved along the sides rocketed water twenty feet off of the ground. I remembered when my childhood friends, consisting of anyone that came over, would treat it like a playground.We would play hopscotch using the lines from the bricks edges. I remembered when my mother would send me out every morning with a shiny coin to go buy a piece of fruit from the vendor. I wondered if-

A large force knocked me off my balance, and I fell backwards, barely catching myself.

"Get out of the way, girl."

A huge man barreled past me and cast me a snide look over his shoulder. I glared at him but didn't make a move, not wanting to start a scene. I knew my temper with people wasn't perfected yet, and things could very easily go wrong. I couldn't afford having anyone else know about me. I had to stay under the radar, and that was what I did best.

I examined the bustling crowd and immediately decided it would be best not to get sucked in. I hated crowds. All of my work is done at night, so there was no need for me to be around so many people at once. It made me uneasy. For the first time, I honestly wasn't sure what I should do. I didn't know where to go. Instead of panic, I felt unnatural coolness.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

I was aroused from my thinking and looked around for the source of the voice. I furrowed my eyebrows together, not amused. I shook my head dismissively, until I felt a tugging on the end of my cape. There was a girl, no older than seven or so, with bright pink hair staring up at me expectantly.

"What do you want?" I demanded, pulling my cape from her grasp.

She continued to look at me, but remained silent. She was studying me, and I started to grow uneasy. I didn't want to be a familiar face to anyone. I turned around abruptly, huffing in annoyance. Just as I was about to storm away, she spoke again.

"You're stepping on my bear," the girl announced. I glanced down and saw that indeed, there was a small stuffed animal trapped under my heel. I lifted my leg slightly, enough for the girl to grab her bear. She cuddled it close to her chest and smiled at me.

Not wanting to spend any more time with the girl, I walked off in the direction where there were less people. The city remained beautiful, just how I remembered it. Buildings were stone and towered overhead. The Demacian flag hung from every lamp post. Vendors scattered the streets, claiming to have the freshest fruits, or the most beautiful jewelry. I had to maneuver carefully to make sure not to run into anybody, as people in the city walked very carelessly. A cat darted by, pouncing on an old metal can. The clattering sound startled a big black Percheron horse, which was pulling a carriage. The horse whinnied and reared on its hind legs, snapping the harness to the carriage. People frantically go out of the horse's way as it darted forward. I sidestepped to stay clear, and wondered if anyone would actually attempt to stop the stallion. A bright red ball caught my eye as it rolled away from a little boy. His mother gasped and tried to go after him, but he was too far ahead of her. Quickly, I shoved people out of my way and dove into the street. I grabbed the child as the horse nearly trampled him, and tumbled out of the way. A man a few feet away reached for the Percheron's reins, and tried to calm him down. The child in my arms was whimpering and his mother was by my side in an instant.

"Oh, thank you so much…" she was sobbing. I waved my hand dismissively, and quickly lost myself in the crowd before I could draw any more attention to myself. I pushed through numerous heavy bodies until I came to a small clearing. My heart sank when I realized I was back where I started.

"You look lost."

My attention snapped to the voice, and I was annoyed to see the pink-haired girl again.

"Go find your parents," I ordered coldly. I quickly turned on my heel to go down a different street. It looked the same as the one before, only there were more people in my way. Someone briefly grabbed my cape, followed by a distant "sorry", I nearly tripped over little children and I almost walked into a pole. I was losing my patience extremely fast and I veered off into a dark alleyway, debating what I should do. There was no time to wait until nightfall; the registrations closed soon. I couldn't prowl rooftops in broad daylight. I was not about to ask someone for directions. I crossed my arms and stared at a broken crate in front of me, trying to regain my composure. I knew it was rash to lose my temper, it would get me nowhere.

"I knew it, you are lost!"

The girl was once again at my side, smiling up at me.

"What do you want, girl?" My voice was sharp, cutting. She had ruined what little composure I had regained. "Stop following me. Go home. I'm in no mood for this." I was about to walk away again until she spoke up once more.

"I know where the registrations are," her eyes bore into mine. The way she looked at me caught me off guard. There was something more, deeper, something to be feared. It was gone so fast I thought I imagined it. I didn't comprehend what I just saw; I couldn't explain it. The uneasy feeling left and was replaced with resentment. The only viable option I had was to have some little girl escort me. It was most unpleasant.

"What do you want in return?" I asked skeptically.

"Nothing, I'm bored." And with that, she started skipping into the street, her stuffed bear swinging at her side.

We were silent the whole way. I was grateful the girl didn't pester me with childish questions. She just hummed and skipped. It was hard to keep up with her at first, with so many people shoving me in different directions, but I was always able to spot her bright hair. There was one time where I did lose her, but she grabbed my hand and led me forward. I quickly pulled away and told her not to touch me. Gradually, the streets became less occupied. The atmosphere was dank, less welcoming. Some buildings were abandoned and boarded up. I found it very odd for such a high-standard city. The girl never missed a turn, she knew right where she was going.

"You sure you know where you're going?" I asked doubtfully. She nodded in response.

The thought of conversing with her was not a fond one, but I had one burning question that I couldn't let go. At a young age, I learned to accept things without questions. It was part of being in the Elite. Every solider had to do things they felt was morally wrong. The colder the heart, the better the warrior. It was part of basic training. My question wasn't serious, but asking questions meant curiosity. Curiosity could very easily be used against a person. I let my guard down for a moment. I just had to know how a little girl could possibly figure out where I was trying to go. I shook myself out of thinking and the question rolled off my tongue. "How did you know where I was going?"

"You stick out," the girl replied simply.

Her response frustrated me. It was almost as if she was luring me into talking to her. I was not falling for it. I pondered over how exactly I stood out. Obviously my attire was a little out of place for Demacia but I didn't understand how that meant I was looking for League registrations. Besides, registrations are completely confidential. Unless invited, people were completely clueless as to where registrations were. The lucky souls who happened to "stumble" across registry would have to also pass the challenges. Only a few people in the history of the League have managed to do that.

"Everyone who sticks out is either looking for the sign-ups or is a criminal. Or they're visiting or something." Her delayed response was something any other child would say. My brief curiosity was gone and again we walked in silence.

The streets became completely trashy. Mangy animals chased each other, ribs clearly visible. Excessive garbage made it hard to maneuver. I heard distant shouting and banging.

"Here we are!" The girl abruptly stopped in front of a rundown looking building. I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but it looked like a whore house. Bullet holes were scattered on the walls. It smelled of rotting fish. I heard girlish squeals coming from within.

"This is it?" I read the sign above the door: KALVIN'S BA AND FO D. "They made registrations in a bar?"

"Actually," the girl corrected, stepping over a stray bra on the ground, "they made registrations in a 'ba'." She started up the crumbling stone steps and pushed open the old wooden door nearly falling off its hinges. I followed suite.

"Look out!"

A huge spear came sailing towards me, and I tilted my head slightly to the right to dodge it. It nestled into the already beaten door at my back. My expression formed a sneer as a large, armored man stumbled towards me. Instinctively I crouched low and pulled my sleeve back to reveal the small crossbow attached to my wrist. I aimed at the target who was now laughing and speaking in a drunken slur. There was no armor around his neck.

"Take another step and you'll have three silver blots lodged in your neck faster than you can blink." My voice was ice.

This seemed to daze him. He stopped and swayed on his feet, trying to register what was going on. I took the opportunity to dropkick the man, digging my heel into his throat. He was quiet momentarily, but he soon erupted into a fit of laughter. His mouth hung open, drool flowing freely onto the floor.

"Bullseye!" He yelled.

The stench of his breath made me wrinkle my nose. He was heavily intoxicated. Pitiful. I looked around the room to see dozens of eyes staring at me. There was a man behind a counter, pouring a glass of beer but it was overflowing and pooled over the surface. He gasped and quickly threw down rags to mop it up. A few people sitting at tables paused mid-drink to gape at me. Scantily dressed females shot me dirty looks. My eyes drifted over an insanely obese shirtless man, clutching a barrel. Two men were holding back a blonde girl. Tears were streaming down her face. "Please don't hurt him," she begged.

I looked back to the pink-haired girl who was still standing by the door. She didn't seem fazed at all.

"This isn't the right place," I called over my shoulder.

"Annie?" The blonde girl spoke again. "What are you doing with this…murderer?"

The word 'murderer' sat funny with me. If only she knew that I was the one keeping people like her safe. "I'm no murderer," I snarled.

"I was showing her where the registrations were." I realized that she was the one blondie addressed. Her name was Annie.

"The registrations are here?" I questioned the blonde girl.

"You're signing up? This is ridiculous." She pulled away from the men restraining her and picked up a rod from the ground. She shot me some sort of angry look but it looked more foolish than threatening. I released the man from beneath me and followed her down a short hallway and up a flight of stairs.

"There's a door at the end. Sign in there." She turned and walked down the stairs without another word. I felt a small smile creep on my face. _'I think I've made a lot of friends already'. _

The door at the end of the hallway was in much better shape than the one I used to enter the bar. I turned the knob, half expecting it to be locked. It opened, and I was left standing in a dark, frigid room. The fireplace in the corner had practically been extinguished, only a few blazing embers remained. The floorboards were dark and moldy. Only a wooden table stood in the room, with another large man seated behind it. His head was resting to the side, mouth open. Several empty mugs were strewn about the floor and once again the stench of alcohol hit me. I cringed in disgust. An open book lay on the table, with a feather pen and bottle of ink beside it. _'The League of Legends'_ was written at the top of every page with the current date below it. There was a short list, and I skimmed down to quickly find the words: Shauna Vayne. I picked up the pen and carefully signed my name beside the already printed one, as I had seen previous entries do. I hadn't written my name down in ages. It made me feel… vulnerable. I started to flip back through the pages, noticing how every date was the same. Some years there had only been one entry, others there had been ten. Some members have been in the League as many as a hundred years. It was truly fascinating. Something caught my eye however, for every once in a while I saw a name with a bright red line crossing through it. It was not very common, so I concluded they were people who had been disqualified or quit. The only name that stood out to me was Urf. I turned back to the page where my name resided and stared at it for a few moments more. The pen I held hovered over the page; a single motion and I could be gone.

"No," I told myself.

I placed the pen down, where it was before. Taking one last look at the book, I turned on my heel. There would be no going back.

**Well this is it for Vayne at the moment. Just a little bit of background and whatnot, nothing too fancy. Bear with me! (: **


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